Operating attachment for toggle switches



Dec. 6, 1932. w, FlsHE-R OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR TOGGLE SWITCHES Filed April 9. 1951 BY v M 4M- vA oRNEY.

Patented Dec. 6, 1932' WILLIAM FISHER, OF DEAR-BORN, MICHIGAN' OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR TOGGLE SWITCHES Application mea April 9, 1931. serial No. 528,890.

This invention relates to an operating attachment for toggle switch or the like or variety of other` devices having an operating handle movable to one position for one purpose and toa reverseposition for another purpose and an object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that may be applied to such operating handle and which may be-manually operated by mechanical means, from one or more places positioned remotely from the device.

Another obj ect of the invention is to provide an operatingl attachment for a toggle switch or other device which is cheap to man- 15 ufacture and easy to install and which may be manually operated by mechanical means from any one of a plurality of places positioned remotely to the switch thereby obtaining the same results that would be secured by using 20 a plurality of switches wired together.

VA still further object of the invention is to provide an operating attachment for ay standard toggle switch which may be manually operated by mechanical means from any one of a 25 plurality of stations positioned remotely -tov the switch and which will still permit the switch tobe operated in the usual manner.A

A still further object of the invention is to provide an operating attachment for the handle of a toggle switch or other device in which the pull of a cable is used to operate the switch, the operating mechanism being so Y constructed where by pulling the cable will cause the handle extending from the front'of the switch to be alternately moved up and down. p

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means connected to an operating handle whereby successive operations of the means moves thehandle rst inl one di f rectionand then'in the opposite direction.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and'claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a view of my device assembled with the standard toggle switch, the remote control mechanism beingl shown somewhat j diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of my attachment alliXed to a standard toggle switch, the cover of the attachment being removed therefrom. f

Fig. 3 isa similar view showing the posiy tion of parts when the operating ycable is pulled. Y i

Fig.4 is Va section taken substantially on line 4.-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5%5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the L shaped arms.

Referring now to the drawing it will beV seen that the standard toggle switch 1'is inserted in the usual manner inthe wall 2 and is provided with th-e usual cover plate 3 and an view of one Y operating handle 4 extending through an ap- 70 erture in the cover. This is all standard construction and it will be understood that the switch 1 may be turned on or olf by alternately moving the handle 4 up and down, as is the usual practice. Y

The plate 5 is secured to the cover 3 by means ofthe screws 6 which normally secure the cover 3 tothe switch 1. A seco-nd cover v57 is secured to the plate 5 by-means of the screws 7 extending into the nuts 8 welded to S0 the plate 5. A bar or link 9'is pivoted centrally thereof at 10 to the plate'v 5 and is provided adjacent its respective ends with the elongated slots 11 and 12. A pin 13 extends through the elongated slot 11 and is secured 85 -in the upper end of the L shaped arm 14, the

lower end of the same inturned at 15, the same being ,beveled at 16 as is more clearly indicated by referring to Figs. and 6. The intermediate portion of the harV 14 is provided with the enlarged portion 17, the samer being provided with an aperture 18 of a size to lit over the outerend of the handle 4. A tongue 19 extendsy forwardly from the enlarged portion17 on which is molded a handle 2()v correspondingin shape and size tothe handle 4. It will be seenthat when the handle 2O ismoved up it will cause the outer end of the operating' handle 4 of the toggle switch to be moved upwardly thereby moving 100 the same to its on position and reverse movement of the handle 2O will move the handle 4 to its olf position. The handle 20 extends through an aperture 21 provided in the tace of the cover` 57 and permits the handle to be moved up or down.

A pin 22 extendsthrough the elongated slot 12 in the bar or Vlink 9 and is secured in the upper end of the L shaped bar 23, the lower end of the same being inturiied at 24 and likewise beveled on its outer face as indicated at 25. lt will be seen that thel inturned ends 15 and 24 overlap and lie in contact with the pull member 26 the same being provided with the enlarged portion 58 positioned above the inturned ends 24 and 15 when the switch 1 is either on or ofi' and ready for operation. A spring 59 is connected to the pivot 10 in the bar 9 and also to the upper end of the pull bar 26 and tends to move the saine upwardly. 'Vlfhelower endof the bar 26 is inturned at 27 and extends through the aperture 28 provided in the wall 2 and the outerend of thesame has connected thereto the cable 29 the same extending downwardly through the space 30 provided in the wall 2, and the floor 31 is likewise provided with an aperture 32 through which the cable extends. The cable then passes over a plurality of pulleys 33 the opposite end of the cable being connected to an arm 34y extending at right angles from the vertically extending rod 35 the same provided on its upper end with a knob 36. An enlargement 37 is provided on the rod 35 and a spring 38 is positioned in the housing 39y and tends to keep the rod 35 in its upward position.

It will be seen that, upon depressing the rod 35, the cable 29 will be moved and will cause the pull member 26 to be moved down-` wardly, and when thel parts are arranged as shown inthe position in Fig. 2 the lower end of the enlarged portion 27.' on the pull bar 26 will strike against the upper end of the inturned portion 24 of the l. shaped bar 23 and will cause the same tobe moved downwardly. Vhen the lower edge of the end 24 aligns with the upper edge of the end 15 of the L shaped' bar 13, the same being moved upward at the same time, the' beveled face 25 of the inturned end 24 will force the end 15 of the bar 14 outwardly a sumcient amount to permit the same to pass thereby, and when the member 26 has reached the lowermost -r point ot itsA movement the inturned end 15 of spring 38 will` return the saine to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the spring 59, seeV cured to the pull bar 26, will move the same upwardly until the lower end of the enlarged portion 58 is moved upwardly a sufficient.

amount to clear the upper edge of the init is to'be understood that the same may bei turned arm 15. The inturned portion 27 of the pull member 26 at this time will abut the lower edge of the cover plate 3 the same forming a stop to limit the upward movement of the member 26. The parts will then be in the position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

1t will be seen that when the cable 29 is again pulled to operate the pull member 26 that the position of the L-shaped bars 23 and 14 will be reversed and the inturned end 15 75 on the bar 14 will pass under the inturned end 25 of the bar-23and the parts will again assume the position shown in Fig. 2.

The above description ot the invention is largely confined to its use in conjunction with` a toggle switch but it is pointed out that the invention is not conined to such speciiic use as it may be utilized in the operation of a handle of various structures required tof. be moved to an on or oit position and the claims are to be read with such understanding.

The springs 40 are secured to the plate 5 y and one extends over the face of each of ther bars 23 and 14 and tend to move them toward 90 the plate 5. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that a cable 4l may be secured to the cable 29 intermediate its ends and may be likewise connected to an operating mecha-1' n ism similar to that shown at the right Ahand side of Fig. V1 so that the cable 29 may be operated from oney or more different places.

It will further be seen that either of therods 35 may be depressed to operate the cable 29f wihput imparting movement to the other 10o ro .A

Although the 'device h-as been shown. and described as being applied to a toggle switch used tolroperate shutters, valves, latches, etc., without departing from the spirit of the invention andthe scope of the appended claims.

From the foregoingv description it becomes evident that I have provided an operating at-A Y tachment for a standard toggle switch which may be operated mechanically from one or more places to cause the operating handle of the toggle switch to be moved to its oil or on position and which is so constructed as to permit the switch to be operated in the usual manner if desired.

,It is] further evident that. the deviceV is simple in operation and does away with anyV necessity of installing several switches at differentpoints and likewise the wiring necessary therefor and which will attain the same result as would be obtained by using a plurality of electricswitches. l

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure Letters Patent of the United States is-- 1. A device of the character described conrprising a bar engaging an operating handle,

a second bar, means connectin the two bars whereby movement vof either ar in one direction will impart reverse movement to the opposite bar, a pull member, means thereon for successively engaging first one bar and then the second bar upon successive operations of the pull member whereby the operating handle will be moved rst in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

2. A device of the character described comprising a bar engaging an operating handle, a second bar, means connecting the two bars whereby movement of either bar in one direction will impart reverse movement tothe opposite bar, manually operable means for successively engaging first one bar and then the second bar upon successive operation of the manually operable means whereby the operating handle will be moved first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

3. A device of the character described comprising a bar secured to an operating handle, a second bar in spaced relation thereto, a link pivotally connected intermediate its ends to a stationary member, one end of the link connected to one of the bars and the opposite end to the other bar whereby movement of either bar in one direction will impart reverse movement to the opposite bar, a pull member, means thereon for successively engaging rst one bar and then the second bar upon successive operations of the pull member whereby the operating` handle will be moved first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

e. A device of the character described comprising a bar secured to anV operating handle, a second bar in spaced relation thereto, a link pivotally connected intermediate its Vends to a stationary member, one end of the link connected to one of the bars and the opposite end to the other bar, whereby movement of either bar in one direction will impartreverse movement to the opposite bar, manually operable means for successively engaging first one bar and then the second bar upon successive operations of the manually operable means whereby the operating handle will be moved first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

5. A device of the character described comprising a bar secured to an operating handle, a second bar, means connecting the two bars whereby movement of either bar in one direction will impart reverse movement to the opposite bar, each bar having an extension extending toward the other bar, manually operable means for successively engaging first the extension on one bar and then the extension on the second bar upon successive operations of the manually operable means whereby the operating handle will be moved first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

6. A device of the character described comprising a bar secured to an operating handle, a second bar, means connecting the two bars whereby movement of either bar in one direction will impart reverse movement to the opposite bar, manually operable means for successively engaging first one bar and then the second bar whereby the operating handle is moved lfirst in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and means for disengaging the manually operable means from both bars after operation thereof.

7. A device of the character described comprising a bar secured to an operating handle, a second bar, means connecting the two bars whereby movement of either bar in one,

direction will impart reverse movement to the opposite bar, a pull member, means thereon for successively engaging first one bar and then the other bar upon successive operations of the pull member whereby the operating handle is moved first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and means for moving the means on the pull member out of engagement with both bars after operation of the pull member.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

WILLIAM FISHER.

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